Ribbon-feeding mechanism for type-writers.



Nb. 642,U79. Patented Jan. 30, I900.

L. S. BURRHJGE. Y

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application med Jan. 12, 1898.)

7 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

IN'VENTDR WITNEEEES:

ATTDRNEYE.

Patented Ian. 30, I900. S. BURRIDGE.

No. 642,079. L

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application filed Jan. 1898.) (No Model.) 7 Shasta-Sheet 2.

WITNEEEEE:

INVENTUR BY $1M 37m ATTURNEYS.

ma -0RR|s PETERS c0. PHDTQ-LITPIOH WASHINGTON. o, c.

Patented Jan. 30, I900.

L. s. BUBBID GE. RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application filed Jan. 12. 1898.) Modem 7 Sheets-Sheet 3,

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS No. 642,679. Patented Jan. 30, I900. L. S. BURRIDGE. BiBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application filed. Jan. 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-$heet 4 WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS m: NORRIS mzrms co, Pnmoumu. WASHINGTON, a c.

nw U m 3 n a i. d e n a a P .L G D on on U B S L RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 (Application filed Jan. 12. 1898.) N o M 0 d e l INVENTOR WlTNESSES:

ATTORNEYS No. 642,079. Patented Jan. 30, I900,

} L. s. BURRIDGE. RIBBON F EEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application filed Jan. 1%, 1898.) (H o M 0 d0 I 7 Sheds-Sheet 6.

'9 w NESSES N r E21 ATTORNEYS m: ncams PETERS on. woroumu, wlsmusmn, n

No. 642,079. Patented Jan. 30, I900. LL 3; BUBRIDGE. RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

(Application filed Jan. 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

Wu: cams PETERS 1:0,. nmau'rnm WASHMCG'DN. n. c.

me STATES PATENT FFICE.

LEE S. BURRIDGE, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN T. UNDERVVOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

RIBBUN-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,079, dated January 30, 1900. Application filed January 12, 1898. Serial No. 666376. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE S. BURRIDGE, a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EibbonFeeding Mechanism for TypeNVriters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ribbon feeding mechanism for type-writers.

Heretofore mechanism has been devised for automatically changing the direction of feed of the inking-ribbon; but in all such cases, so far as I am aware, serious disadvantages were presented. Thus it was found that the reversing mechanism would not respond with sufficient rapidity and that the ribbon'would be held in the same position during the striking operation of several succeeding characters. It followed, therefore, that several characters struck the same spot on the ribbon each time the reversing mechanism was shifted and that at such times there would be several characters which would not print. The object of my invention is to overcome these and other difficulties heretofore found in ribbon-feed mechanism and to provide simple and efficient mechanism for automatically reversing the feed of the inking-ribbon when the end of the ribbon is reached.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings,wherein like characters indicate corresponding parts in the various views, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of sufficient number of parts of a type-writing machine to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same, showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 3 is a detail top view of one of the ribbon-spools and its cooperating mechanism, the position of the parts in this figure corresponding to the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. l is alike view of the same, illustrating the parts in the same position as the corresponding parts are illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Fig. 5 is a rear detail elevation, partly in section, of the ribbon-spool and its cooperating mechanism, the relation of the parts in this figure corresponding to the position of the parts in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Fig. 6 is a like view of the same, showing the parts in a position corresponding to the position of the parts in Figs. 2 and at of the drawings. Fig. 7 is a plan view of so much of the entire device as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 8 is a transverse central vertical sectional view of a typewriting machine embodying my invention and with parts removed for the purpose of clearness. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view of parts to be hereinafter described. Fig. 10 is a rear elevation. of the machine with parts broken away and omitted for the purpose of clearer illustration.

The improvements forming the subjectmatter of my invention may be applied to a type-writer of any suitable or preferred com struction. In the present instance I have illustrated my improvements as applied to what is known as the Underwood machine, wherein type-bars a are shown as pivoted at b in a plate 0, carried by the main frame A of the machine. The machine is likewise provided with the usual or any preferred fingerkeys (I, which connect with key-levers c, that are united to the type-bars a by intermediate links f. A universal spacing-key g is likewise provided and adapted to operate, through the projection h or otherwise, upon the vibratory toe 2' of the spacing mechanism. The platen B is preferably arranged to be shifted vertically for the purpose of causing the im print of upper or lower case characters, as

may be desired. In Figs. 8 and 9 I have illustrated the spacing mechanism whereby the platen or platen-carriage is fed at each operation of a type-bar or of the universal spacing-bar to provide the proper spacing between the separate characters or words.

At each operation of a type-key (Z the corresponding key-lever 6 will operate to depress the universal bar E, which is fixed upon a rock-shaft E. This rock-shaft E carries an arm E which is adapted to abut against the 5 shaft 70, which extends across the rear of the machine, and is retained in the normal posizoo tion by a coiled spring F. upon said rock-shaft. (See Fig. 9.) Connected to the rock-shaft are arms E to the upper ends of which are pivotally connected crossbars E These cross-bars E are connected to a segmental universal bar E, with which an abutment E on each of the type-bars a is adapted to abut. It will be observed that each of the abutments E is provided with a cam-like face E", which is adapted to bear against and move the universal bar E when a type-bar a is moved from the normal position indicated in Fig. 8 to the printing position. Upon the cross-bars E are supported suitable feed-pawls E 9 E, which cooperate with a rack E carried by the platen-carriage. It will thus be understood that at each vibration of the cross-bars F. by a key-lever or by the spacing-key in the manner specified the carriage will be moved one space in the direction of its feed.

At each operation of a key-lever the vibratory toe 1 is vibrated, as hereinbefore described. The vibration of this toe'i causes a vibration of the arm Z, which is rigidly connected to a rock-shaft m, which extends from end to end of the machine.

Inasmuch as the mechanism which I am about to describe is duplicated upon opposite ends of the machine,I will only describe one set of such mechanism.

To each end of the rock-shaft m is connected a crank-arm, to each of which is pivoted a vibratory feed-pawl n, which when in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 is adapted to engage a ratchet-wheel 0 and to move the same when the vibratory pawl is vibrated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. This vibratory pawl fit rests upon a leaf-spring p,

'which is connected to a bar q, (see Figs. 5, 6,

and 7,) which extends from end to end of the machine and is centrally pivoted, as indicated at '1'. Also carried by this bar q are stationary pawls .9, one of which is located at each end of the machine to cooperate with one of the ratchet-wheels 0. It will be observed that when the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the pawl s is in constant engagement with the ratchet-wheel 0 and prevents a backward movement of the same, whereas the leafspringp maintains the vibratory pawl 02 in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and at each vibration of the toe i of the spacing mechanism the said vibratory pawl will cause the ratchet-wheel to be fed the distance of one or more teeth, as desired. By pivoting the bar q centrally in the machine in the manner described the shifting of said bar will carry one set of pawls into engagement with their corresponding ratchet-wheel and will simultaneously throw the other pawls out of engagement with their corresponding ratchet-wheel, so that by this means the change in direction of feed of the ribbon mechanism may be brought about by hand. To facilitate the movement of these parts by hand, I have provided a handle t, (see Fig. 7,) which is mounted upon a suitable spring-arm it, connected at 'u with the bar g. This spring-arm a is pro vided with a stud which is adapted to enter one of the cooperating grooves 10, Figs. 1 and 2, and maintain the bar in the position to which it has been shifted. This, as I have said before, constitutes the hand operating means for changing the direction of the feed of the ribbon, and hence I refer to the bar q and the cooperating mechanism as means for reversing the direction of the feed of the ribbon. However, I likewise provide means which are operated when the end of the ribbon is reached to automatically shift this reversin g ,means to change the direction of feed of the ribbon. Each of the ratchet-wheels 0 is provided with suitable means for transmitting motion to a ribbon-spool G. In the present instance I have illustrated a suitablyhung shaft 00, which through bevel-gears y transmits motion to the spindle z of the ribbon-spool. To each of the spindles of the ribbon-spools O is pivoted a yoke 1. This yoke is provided with a vibrating arm 2,which is shown as extending through acentral space 3 in the spool-frame casing 4, which is con nected to the framing of the machine. On the opposite side of said yoke is a downwardly-extending arm 5, for purposes which will be hereinafter described. The vibrating arm 2 likewise projects through radial slots 6 in the spool itself. A sleeve or other connecting means 7 is carried by the free ends of the ribbon 8, and each of these sleeves .is adapted to be secured in place upon the vibrating arm 2. The ribbon 8 may be extended through apertures 9 in the ribbon-spool casings 4, through the ribbon-guide lO to the printing-point, and from one spool to another. It will be observed that by this means the vibrating arm 2 will be maintained parallel to the spindle 2 when the laminae or winding of ribbon is in place on the spool; but when the end of the ribbon is reached the vibrating arm will be drawn outward, thereby causing the arm 5 on the yoke 1 to be projected outwardly in the opposite direction. The outward projection of the arm 5 will cause it to be brought into contact with a cam 11, (see Fig. 4,) which causes said cam, together with the parts connected therewith, to be shifted around their horizontal pivot 12. The pivot 12 constitutes a means for uniting the cam 11 and its connections to an arm 16, which connects with the shifter-bar q, so that the cam 11 and the parts connected therewith are supported by the bar q. Connected with the cam 11 is a downwardly-projecting arm 13, which I term a shifting abutment. This abutment, together with the cam 11, connected therewith, is normally maintained in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 by a spring 1%. (See Fig. 2.) In this position the cam is in a position to be engaged and moved by the arm 5, and the shiftingabutment 13 is maintained out of the path of ashifting arm 15, which is connected to the rock-shaft m and vibrates at each operation of the spacing mechanism.

This arm 15 acts in the capacity of a shifting means, as will be hereinafter described, and hence is referred to as such.

Having described the general construction of a device embodying my invention, I will now proceed to describe the operation thereof.

Special reference being had to Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 7, it will be seen that the ribbon is being fed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7 and is being Wound on the right-hand spool. When, however, the ribbon is about to be exhausted from the spool at the opposite end of the machine, thelaminte or layers of ribbon are unwound from the spool, and when the parts assume the relative position shown in Fig. 3 a tension will be exerted upon the vibrating arm 2 which will cause the yoke 1 to be vibrated on its pivot, thus carrying the arm 5 to the position represented in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, wherein the arm is shown to have contacted with the cam-piece 11 and to have shifted said cam-piece around its horizontal pivot 12, thereby bringing the shifting abutment 13 into the path of the vibrating arm 15. The next operation of a type-key or of the spacing-bar will cause said arm 15 to be vibrated, together with the spacing mechanism, which will cause the upper nose or cam of the arm 15 to be brought under the shifting abutment 13 and raise said shifting abutment, together with the cam 11 and the bar q, to which these parts are secured, thereby raising the pawls n 8 into operative engagement with their corresponding ratchet-wheel and at the same time throwing the operating-pawls at the opposite end of the machine out of engagement. The engaged ratchet-wheel will proceed-to feed until the opposite end of the ribbon is reached, when a tension exerted upon the shiftinglever2 at the opposite end of themachine will cause the pawls at the opposite end of the machine to be broughtinto engagement and those which were formerly in operation to be shifted out of engagement. This operation is repeated when the end of the ribbon is reached at each end of the machine. Each of the ratchet-wheels 0 is provided with a handle D, by which the spools may be wound independently by hand when desired.

In automatic mechanism for reversing the feed of the ribbon heretofore devised, reliance hasbeen had upon the inking-ribbon itself to shift the feeding mechanism to cause the feed of the ribbon to be reversed. This in practice was found to possess many disadvantages. It was found that it required a long time to complete the reversal of the feed of the ribbon, that there was a time at each reversal of the feed that the ribbon did not feed, and that the printing characters therefore would not write, and that the mechanism as a whole was unreliable. It Will be observed that by my invention the ribbon has merely to shift the vibrating arm 2 for the purpose of setting the shifting abutment 13 and that the actual shifting of the reversing mechanism is brought aboutin a positive manner by the operation of a stronger and more reliable element through the spacing mechanism or through the type keys of the machine. While I have illustrated the shifting arm 15 as being connected to and operated by the spacing mechanism, it is obvious that this shifting arm may be operated otherwise, as through a connection with the type-keys and universal spacing-lever. It will likewise be observed that by my invention there is no dead-point in reversing the feed of the ribbon. This is true because the office of the ribbon is merely to set the parts in a position where they are rendered operative to change the direction of feed and because the ribbon effects this setting of the parts before the ribbon has reached the extreme limit of its movement. Thus it will be seen by reference to Figs. 3 and at that the vibrating arm 2 will be shifted to set the parts before the spool has reached the position shown in Fig. 4 and that the next operation of the spacing mechanism will result in the shifting of the reversing mechanism.

\Vhile I have shown and described with considerable detail the carriage-feed mechanism, I would have it understood that any suitable carriage-feed mechanism may be employed and that motion may be transmitted to said feed mechanism in any suitable manner. Thus, for instance, the universal bar E may be dispensed with entirely and the operation of the type-bar Ct upon the universal bar E be depended upon to transmit motion to the feed mechanism.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-

1. The combination of an inking-ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon in the direction of its length at each operation of a key-lever, means for reversing the direction of feed, said reversing means being operated by the spaci g mechanism, shifting mechanism adapted to be operated by the ribbon and cooperating with the reversing means to automatically change the direction of feed when the end of the ribbon is reached, the said shifting mechanism being at all times connected to the inking-ribbon.

2. The combination of an inking'ribbon, spacing mechanism, means connected with said spacing mechanism for feeding said ribbon, means for reversing the direction of the feed, said reversing means being operated at each operation of the spacing mechanism, shifting mechanism cooperating with said reversing means, said shifting mechanism comprising a vibrating arm adapted to rotate with a ribbon-spool and to be moved by the tension exerted by the ribbon.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool having slots in the head thereof, a driving-spindle upon which said spool is carried, ribbon-fced mechanism for operating said spindle, a swinging or vibrat- ICC ing arm independent of the ribbon-spool but adapted to project into the slots thereof, said vibrating arm being pivoted to and rotatable with said ribbon-spool spindle, an inking-rib bon connected to said vibrating arm and intermediate mechanism between the vibrating arm and the ribbon-feed mechanism to automatically reverse the direction of feed when the end of the ribbon is reached.

4. The combination of a vibrating arm adapted to rotate with the ribbon-spool, an inking-ribbon having an end thereof connected to said vibrating arm, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, a shifting abutment adapted to be moved by said vibrating arm and to cause a movement of the feeding mechanism to change the direction of feed and means independent of the vibrating arm for moving said abutment.

5. The combination of a vibrating arm adapted to rotate with a ribbon-spool, an inking-ribbon having an end thereof connected to and adapted to vibrate said vibratin g arm, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, a shifting abutment adapted to be moved by said vibrating arm and to cause a movement of the feeding mechanism to change the direction of feed and means controlled by the fingerkeys for moving said abutment.

6. The combination of a vibrating arm adapted torotate with a ribbon-spool, an inking-ribbon having an end thereof connected to said vibrating arm, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, means for changing the direction of feed, a shifting abutment connected thereto and adapted to be moved by said vibrating arm and means connected with the spacing mechanism for moving said shifting abutment to change the direction of feed.

7. The combination of a vibrating arm adapted to rotate with a ribbon-spool, an inking-ribbon having an end thereof connected to said vibrating arm, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, means for changing the direction of feed, ashifting abutment connected to and adapted to be moved into operative position by said vibrating arm and means connected with the spacing mechanism and moved at each operation thereof for moving said shifting abutment bodily together with the changefeed mechanism connected thereto to change the direction of feed of the ribbon.

8. The combination of a vibrating arm, ribbon-feeding mechanism, means for changing the direction of feed, a shifting abutment connected thereto and adapted to be moved by said vibrating arm, means operated by the spacing mechanism for moving said shifting abutment together with the change mechanism, a ribbon and connections between said ribbon and vibrating arm, whereby when the end of the ribbon is reached the vibrating arm will be moved by the ribbon and the parts will be automatically operated to effect a reversal of the feed of the ribbon.

9. The combination of an inking-ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon in opposite directions, key-levers adapted to operate the ribbon-feeding mechanism, mechanism for changing the direction of said feed, a shifting device operated by the spacing mechanism for operating the changing mechanism and means moved by the tension of the ribbon for rendering said shifting device operative.

10. The combination of an inking-ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon in opposite directions, said feeding means being operated at each operation of a key-lever to feed the ribbon in a longitudinal direction, mechanism for changing the direction of said feed, a shifting device for operating the changing mechanism, said shifting device being con nected to and operated at each movement of the spacing mechanism and means connected to the free end of and controlled by the ribbon for rendering said shifting device operative.

11. The combination of an inking-ribbon, separate feed mechanism for feeding the ribbon longitudinally in opposite directions, re= versing mechanism for simultaneously throwing one of said feed mechanisms into operation and the other out of operation, shifting means connected with the spacing mechan ism and adapted to be operated at each oper ation thereof for operating the reversing mechanism and means for automatically rendering the shifting means operative when the end of the ribbon is reached to reverse the direction of the feed.

12. The combination of an inking-ribbon, separate feed mechanism for feeding the ribbon longitudinally in opposite directions, reversing mechanism for simultaneously throwing one of saidfeed mechanisms into operation and the other out of operation, shifting means connected with the spacing mechanism and adapted to be operated at each operation thereof for operating the reversing mechanism and a shifting abutment adapted to be interposed in the path of the shifting means to operate the reversing mechanism when the end of the ribbon is reached.

13. The combination of an inking-ribbon, separate feed mechanism for feeding the ribbon longitudinally in opposite directions, said feed mechanism being adapted to be operated at each operation of a key-lever, reversing mechanism for simultaneously throwing one of said feed mechanisms into operation and the other out of operation, shifting means connected with the spacing mechanism for operating the reversing mechanism, a shifting abutment adapted to be interposed in the path of the shifting means to operate the reversing mechanism when the end of the ribbon is reached and means connected to a free end of the ribbon for moving the shifting abutment to operative position when the ribbon reaches the end of its movement.

14:. The combination of an inking-ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon in opposite directions, mechanism for changing the direction of feed, a shifting device operated at each operation of the spacing mechanism for operating the changing mechanism, a vibrating arm to which an end of the ribbon is attached and means operated by said vibrating arm to render the shifting means operative to reverse the feed.

15. The combination of an inking-ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon in opposite directions, mechanism for changing the direction of feed, a shifting device operated at each operation of the spacing mechanism for operating the changing mechanism, a vibrating arm to which an end of the ribbon is attached and which vibrating arm is adapted to rotate with a ribbon-spool and means operated by the vibrating arm to render the shifting means operative to reverse the feed.

16. The combination of an inking-ribbon, ribbon-spools therefor, feed mechanism for operating said ribbon-spools, reversing means for throwing the feed mechanism of one spool into operation and that of the other spool out of operation, a shifting abutment connected to said reversing means, said shifting abutment being normally maintained out of operative position, means operated at each oper ation of the spacing mechanism to contact with the shifting abutment when the same is in the operative position and means connected to the ribbon to throw the shifting abutment into operative position when the ribbon reaches the end of its movement, whereby the direction of feed of the ribbon is automatically reversed when the end of the ribbon is reached.

17. The combination of an inking-ribbon, ribbon-spools having slots therein, feed mechanism for operating said ribbonspools, reversing mechanism for changing the direction of the feed, a vibrating arm pivoted to and rotatable with a ribbon-spool spindle of the operating mechanism and adapted to pass through a slot in a ribbon-spool and intermediate mechanism between the vibrating arm and the reversing mechanism, said intermediate mechanism being disconnected from the vibrating arm, whereby the direction of the feed of the ribbon is reversed when the ribbon has about reached the limit of its movement.

18. The combination of an inking-ribbon, ribbon-spools, feed mechanism for operating said ribbon-spools, reversing mechanism for changing the direction of the feed, a vibrating arm adapted to pass through a slot in a ribbon-spool and to be connected to an end of the ribbon, a shifting abutment which controls the operation of the reversing mechanism and which is adapted to be projected into the path of a part intermittently operated by the machine and intermediate mechanism between the vibrating arm and the shifting abutment, whereby the direction of the feed of the ribbon is reversed when the ribbon has about reached the limit of its movement.

19. The combination of an inking-ribbon, ribbon-spools, feed mechanism for operating said ribbon-spools, reversing mechanism for changing the direction of feed, a vibrating arm pivoted to and rotatable with a ribbonspool spindle of the feed mechanism and adapted to pass through a slot in a ribbonspool and to be connected to an end of the ribbon, a shifting abutment which controls the operation of the reversing mechanism and which is adapted to be projected into the path of a part intermittently operated by the machine and intermediate mechanism between the vibrating arm and the shifting abutment, whereby the direction of the feed of the ribbon is reversed when the ribbon has about reached the limit of its movement.

LEE S. BURRIDGE.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES E. SMITH, Gno. E. Monsn. 

